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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man lost overboard from cruiser | Man lost overboard from cruiser |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man has been lost overboard from a cabin cruiser on Lough Neagh, the Coastguard has said. | A man has been lost overboard from a cabin cruiser on Lough Neagh, the Coastguard has said. |
| He fell overboard near Kells Point at about 2100 GMT on Monday. Rescue boats were sent along with the police helicopter, but could not find the man. | He fell overboard near Kells Point at about 2100 GMT on Monday. Rescue boats were sent along with the police helicopter, but could not find the man. |
| The Coastguard said the water temperature was four degrees Celsius and it was unlikely he could have survived for long. | The Coastguard said the water temperature was four degrees Celsius and it was unlikely he could have survived for long. |
| The official rescue operation has ended, but a search is continuing. | |
| The crew of two on the cabin cruiser had tried to throw lifejackets to the man, but the attempt failed. | The crew of two on the cabin cruiser had tried to throw lifejackets to the man, but the attempt failed. |
| The Lough Neagh Independent Rescue Lifeboats from Ardboe on the western shore and Kinnego in the southern end of the lough were sent by the Coastguard to the area and the police helicopter also joined the search. | The Lough Neagh Independent Rescue Lifeboats from Ardboe on the western shore and Kinnego in the southern end of the lough were sent by the Coastguard to the area and the police helicopter also joined the search. |
| Shoreline searches were carried out by the Kinnego Coastguard Team along withLifeboat shore crews from Ardboe. Fire crews from Cookstown also joined the search. | |
| Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Steve Palmer said more than a mile of water and shoreline were searched using illumination from a police helicopter. | |
| "Despite the valiant efforts of all concerned we did not manage to find the man who had fallen overboard," he said. | |
| Praise | |
| "I can only praise the efforts of all search units involved and had this person been visible at any time, the units would have probably located him. | "I can only praise the efforts of all search units involved and had this person been visible at any time, the units would have probably located him. |
| "However, given the water and air temperatures at the time of the incident, it's unlikely that a person would survive in the water for any length of time. | "However, given the water and air temperatures at the time of the incident, it's unlikely that a person would survive in the water for any length of time. |
| "I'd like to offer the Coastguard's sympathies to the family of the missing man involved in this extremely unfortunate accident." | "I'd like to offer the Coastguard's sympathies to the family of the missing man involved in this extremely unfortunate accident." |
| Parish priest Father McGinley said it was "a testing time" for the family. | |
| "There is a feeling of disbelief and devastation, especially at this time of year. | |
| "Coming into the season of Christmas, the thoughts and prayers of the whole community are with the family. They are just still holding out hope that a positive result will come." | |
| Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles being approx 20 miles long and 9 miles wide. It has had a voluntary rescue team since 1989. | Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles being approx 20 miles long and 9 miles wide. It has had a voluntary rescue team since 1989. |